There are structural members that used in the art for construction of infant furniture. These structural members comprise an essentially elongated frusto-cylindrical shell profile. The frusto-cylindrical shell profile is of indefinite length and is typically cut into segments of predetermined length, from a sufficiently long master piece. The frusto-cylindrical shell profile comprises partition, essentially paralleling the plane of the frustum. The frustum at cylindrical shell profile defines a slot, which extends along the entire length of the structural member. This slot is used for an contiguous insertion of the terminal portions of bar gratings into the portion of the structural member in-between the partition and the slot, forming frusto-arcuate channel, in such a manner that the bars of the grating extend outwardly from the slot.
There are triad connectors that used in the art for construction of infant furniture. These triad connectors comprise an annular portion, adapted to receive a cylindrical or frusto-cylindrical structural member therein, for the construction of the framework forming the infant furniture. Such triad connectors further include arcuately ribbed portion. The arcuately ribbed portion is adapted to be detachably inserted into the frusto-arcuate channel, formed in-between the partition and the slot of frusto-arcuate structural members. The triad connector further comprises a hinge portion, including apertures, for a pivoting connection with a complimentary hinge unit. Complimentary hinge unit comprises hinge portion, adapted to be inserted into the hinge portion of triad connector. The hinge portion of complimentary unit including apertures, for a pivoting connection with the apertures in the hinge portion of the triad connector. The complimentary hinge unit further comprises an arcuately ribbed portion, adapted to be detachably inserted into the frusto-arcuate channel, formed in-between the partition and the slot of structural member.
Structural member constructing the framework forming the infant furniture are inserted into the annular portion of the triad connector, typically forming the vertical structural elements of the framework forming the infant furniture. The hinge portion of complimentary unit is inserted into and pivotally connected with hinge portion of the triad connector, by the means of a pivot inserted into their apertures. Into frusto-arcuate channels of the longitudinal and lateral members structural, are respectively detachably inserted arcuately the ribbed portion of the triad connector and the arcuately ribbed portion of the complimentary unit. The assembly forms a perpendicular connection of three structural members, which may form a corner of a cubical or rectangular parallelepiped structure, depending on the length of the members.
While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown merely by way of example in the drawings. The drawings are not necessarily complete and components are not essentially to scale; emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles underlying the present invention.